Portrait Yves Thailande

Painted in 1997, this portrait of the artist’s son, Yves, captures a specific stillness found in the humid warmth of a Thai afternoon. Rendered in a wash of luminous yellows and earthy ochres, Yves gazes intently past the frame, his curly hair detailed with expressive brushstrokes. The composition is grounded by textured wooden pillars and a rustic clay vessel, while a vibrant azure background pops against the warm skin tones. A motorbike handle in the mid-ground suggests a journey paused. Seeing this work in the context of the collection is poignant; painted just years before the posthumous Hommage series, it stands as the final major portrait of him from life. It preserves a fleeting optimism of youth and exploration, freezing a moment where the intimacy of family met the allure of a foreign land.